Just finished reading a fascinating book about one of the Queen's of France - Marie Antoinette.
Many things about her life were a paradox. This particular picture was changed as she had her baby in that crib next to her during the process of the painting being done. After the death of the child - she had the baby painted out - it was just too painful to view day by day. She did have a heart.... and a love for her children.
She was misquoted as saying, 'let them eat cake' - this was simply not true. She never said it. Yet the lie remains. Those who she loved, loved her. She made unknown powerful enemies - that became her downfall due to her lack of understanding and temperance in all things.
What is to be learned from her life? Keep one's appetites simple, ones heart pure, and one's mind ever learning.
For the challenges of life depend upon three things.
1. Learning the human needs around us and responding with compassion and care.
2. The courage to live a life of character and morality no matter what others are doing.
3. The sensibility to discern that today's wishes received, may become tomorrow's chains.
She lived and died - the end of the long line of Kings and Queens... time was changing in the 1700's and alas she knew it not.
She is a powerful person every pastor's wife in leadership should study.
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